Sikh Lawyer Denied Entry in Indian Supreme Court for Wearing Kirpan

New Delhi: A Mumbai based Sikh lawyer named Amritpal Singh Khalsa was denied entry to the Supreme Court of India (SCI) by security personnel as he was wearing/carrying a Kirpan. Aggrieved by this treatment, Amritpal Singh has reportedly written to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) seeking his interference in this matter.

As per media reports the CJI has assured Amritpal Singh that it would look into his complaint against security officers who denied him entry into the court premises with kirpan.

The lawyer said the Constitution guarantees him the freedom of practising the religion and he has been “humiliated, insulted” every time he visited the top court as the security officers did not allow a kirpan inside.

The lawyer sought directions to the security department to ensure that young Sikh lawyers like him are not “humiliated and insulted” and are allowed to wear and carry kirpan in court premises.

In his complaint, Amritpal Singh said the security guards denied him entry saying the kirpan’s length was more than what was permitted, though there is no restriction on its size under the law.

“Every time I enter the apex court I am humiliated, made to feel as I am an untouchable. I am denied entry to court premises just because I carry a kirpan for which the security denies entry citing its length to be more than six inches,” he said.